Player-piano



A, G, GULBRANSEN- wwwwww 'l A. G. GULBRANSEN.

`PLAYER PIANO. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 19|8.

UNITED sTMi-:s

PATENT lolistica.

rnA'YER-rrano.

VApplication filed November'll, 191,8. Serial No.l2`60,938.

T o all whom z'tmay concern:

Be it knownthat I,lAxnL G. GULBBANSEN, a citizen of the United States,residing `at Chicago, in the `county of Cookian'd'State of Illinois, have inventedacertainnewland j useful Improvement in PlayerIianos, of` whichthe following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had l to the accompanyingdrawings, `formingfa part ofthis'specification. V`

My invention relates to playerpianos and thek like. A v

More particularlyfmy inventionf relatesAv to improvedv means for supporting the automatic action mechanism -within the/casing of the 'piano so that it may beproperlyf associatedwith thepiano action for thefpur- Apose of operating said action.

I provide a unitary pneumatic action mechanism which comprises a ,channel board extendingacross'- the fullwidth of the keyboard. This channel board isrprovideld'with suitable vacuum chambers and air passages.

My invention Aaimsv to provide means whereby the entire pneumatic action-may be removably mounted within the casing `ofthe-piano or in a separate player, as the lcase may be, and adjusted transversely and vertically to bring V'the sound producing pneumatics of the action into exact coperative relation with the abstracts ofthe' piano action'with which thepneumatics are adapted to cooperate.

As will be well understood bythose skilled in the art, the channel boards of" these pneu`- matic action mechanisms yare not very-'wide relative "to their "length and their proper disposition in the piano' casing 'is therefore oftenv `a serious diiiiculty. Furthermore any change of the relation Aofthe channel board or pneumatics' carried thereby Vwith'respect to thekeys 'orf'any' change of the relationof thel pneumatic action with vrespect to the piano casing orkeybed, 'disturbs the adjustment of the 'automatic'playingfmechanism.

My invention' aimsfurther to provide improved `means whereby any` disturbance or change of the relationl ofthe channel board or pneumatics carriedthereby with respect tothe keys oran' disturbance vor chan iof the relation of t epneumatic actionfitlif respect 'tothe `piano casing'or keybedf'o stract of the piano action matter how slight, may be effectively met and overcome.

invention aims still further to provide an Aimproved 'supporting and adjusting means which `will be luniversal in its application `to the many kinds of pianos on the market.

It "will'befhereinafter apparent that I have still further provided an improved supporting `and adjustment' means whereby 'the pneumatic action can be quickly and easily fremove'd for repairs and can be `as quickly `and'easily v`replaced yand again ybrought into exact operative relation `with the piano action proper. j

In order' that'V those skilled in' the art may `be fully acquainted with the nature and scope 'of my invention, 'I shall` describe a specificembodiment f the invention in connection `with the accompanying drawings,

j which form apart of the present specification.

Figure l is a 'front elevational view of a pneumatic action showing my improved supporting and adjusting elements in connection therewith Fig; 2 is an end view of thesame -and Figj is a fragmentary, horizontal, sectional' View taken on the linel 3-3 of Figi.

As show-n in the drawings the channel board 1 and the operating pneumatics2 constitute a unitary structure-and it is with the ,proper mounting of-this structure that my invention is concerned. The pneumatics 2 are ofthe usual or of any `preferred constructionconsisting preferably of a fixed upperileaf 3 anda hinged lower leafll interconnected by the flexible bellows 5. Each `of the pneumatics 2 is suspendedfrom the bottom of a valve block 6 which blocks are mounted in rows upon the rear face ofthe channel board l, these blocks in-this parfor 'the pneumatics.

As shown inl Fig. 2 the lower hinged leaves 4 of each of the pneumatics 2 projects out f beyond the end of the pneumatic linsuitable cticular case containing the valve mechanismV the piano is immaterial, as my improved supporting and adjusting means is universal in its application to the many kinds of pianos on the market. The connection between the movable boards 4 and the piano action may be made in any preferred manner.

The downward movement of the lower hinged leaves 4 of the upper and intermediate rows of pneumatics is limited by means of the strips or rail members 7. These strips or rail members 7 are carried bythe inner edges of the upper and intermediate rows of blocks 6 and extend substantially the entire length of the channel board 1. The downward movement of the lower hinged leaves 4 of the bottom row of pneumatics is limited by a strip or rail member 8 which extends substantially the entire length of the channel board 1. The strip or rail member 8 is suspended at its ends from the end blocks of the lower row of blocks 6, by means of the screws 9 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The screws 9 extend through the rail member 8 at its opposite ends and are threaded into the end blocks of the lower row of blocks 6, as shown in Fig. 1.

The bed 10 of the piano is provided with a keyboard of the usual construction made up of keys 11 for operating the piano action..

The keys 11 are pivotally mounted upon a balance rail 12 and extend forward to a point adjacent the outer or front edge of the bed 10. The opposite ends of the keys 11 are provided with capstan screws 13, the keys extending inwardly from the'balance rail 12 so that the capstan screws 13 will be in suitable position to engage their particular abstracts (not shown) and thereby actuate the striking mechanism; as will be hereinafter pointed out I have provided for so arranging the pneumatic action mechanism above the keys 11, that this mechanism will in no way interfere with the quick and easy removal and replacement of the keys.

My improved supporting and adjusting means comprises the supporting brackets 14, 15 and 16, Vthe brackets 14 and 16 being provided adjacent the opposite ends of the channel board 1 and the bracket 15 being suitably arranged therebetween. It is to be understood that the number of supporting brackets employed is immaterial as this depends upon the piano and upon the particular type of pneumatic action to be mounted therein. The supporting brackets 14 and 16 are L shaped as shown in Fig. 2, providing the horizontally extending arms 17 whereby the brackets are mounted upon the bed 10 of the piano by means of the screws 18 and 19. v

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the screws 18 extend through the horizontally extending arms 17 of the supporting brackets 14 and 16 and into the bed 10 of the piano, these screws serving to secure the brackets 14 and 16 against transverse movement along the bed of the piano after the pneumatic action has been adjusted into exact operative relation with' respect to the piano action proper.

The L shaped supporting brackets 14 and 16 are provided with the upwardly or substantially vertically ext-ending arms 21, these arms serving to carry the channel board 1 of the pneumatic mechanism. Screws 22 extend through slots 23 provided in the upwardly extending arms 21 of the brackets 14 and 16 and into the channel board 1. The slots 23 serve to allow vertical adjustment of the channel board 1 and Y consequently of the pneumatic action mechanism with respect to the bed 10 or the piano action proper carried thereby, as will be hereinafter described.

The bracket 15, which is arranged between the brackets 14 and 16, as shown in Fig. 1.

provides an additional support for the chan-l nel board 1 within its length, the channel -board being secured thereto by means of screws 24 which extend through slots 25 provided in the bracket and into the channel board 1 substantially as described in connection with the brackets 14 and 16. The bracket 15 is mounted upon the keyboard 26, this keyboard being mounted upon the between the brackets 14 in Figs. 2 and 3 the bed 10 of the piano and 16. As shown horizontally extending arm 27 of the bracket 15 is short relative. to the horizontally extending arms 17 of the brackets 14 and 16. A screw 2S extends through a slot 29 provided in the horizontally extending arm 27 and into the keyboard 26, thereby maintaining the supporting bracket 15 in place and at the same time allowing front and rear adjustment of thebracket relative to the bed of the piano.

In addition to the supporting brackets just described, the opposite ends of the channel board 1 rest upon screws 30-30 respectively, preferably wood screws, engaging inthe bed 10 of the piano as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In order to further support the pneumatic action mechanism I have provided a pair of supporting blocks 31-81 which are suspended from the bottom row of valve blocks 6, the upper edges of the supporting blocks 31-31Jocing glued or otherwise suitably secured to the bottom faces of the valve blocks 6. The blocks 31-31 rest upon screws $2- 32 preferably wood screws engaging in the keyboard 26 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, this arrangement of screws being particularly advantageous in properly supporting the pneumatic action mechanism. The screws 32-32 are so arranged on the keyboard 26 with respect to the keys 1l, that Screws into a suitablek position to actuate their particular lstriking mechanism. The

bracket 15 is arranged substantially in aline-k i screws are brought down to a point where they are readily accessible without interfering with` the pneumatics.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, rods 33-33 are provided adjacent the opposite edges ofthe channel board 1 the outer ends of these rods being flattened as shown in Fig. 2, in order that they may be readily fastened to the upper edge of the channel board 1 by means of suitable screws or otherwise. The inner or opposite ends of these rods are connected to the brackets 34 of the piano this rod being preferably adjustable in opening 35 in the brackets in order that the upper part of the channel board 1 may be adjusted backward or forward since the brackets of the piano are relatively stationary. This feature is broadly shown in the structure of my prior Patent No. 1,078,67 3, November 18, 1913.

Upon mounting the pneumatic action mechanism in the piano the brackets 14, 15 and 16 in addition to the screws 30-30 and 32-32 will serve to support the channel board 1 and pneumatic mechanism carried thereby until the exact front and rear position of the pneumatic mechanism in the piano has been obtained. Upon obtaining the exact front and rear position of the pneumatic action in the piano the screws 18-18 should be inserted through the horizontally extending arms 17-17 of the brackets 14 and 16 and into the bed 10, thereby rigidly securing the brackets 14 and 16 and consequently t e pneumatic action mechanism carried thereby against front and rear movement. The screws 30-30 and 31-31 are then manipulated to raise orlower the common plane of the pneumatic action mechanism as the occasion requires, particularly as to the relation between the pneumatics carried by the channel board 1 and the abstracts of the piano. Upon adjusting the pneumatic action mechanism into its proper vertical position the screws 22 extending' through the slots 23 provided in the brackets 14 and 16 and the screws 24 which extend through the slots 25 provided in the bracket .15, may be tightened and the channel board 1 and pneumatic mechanism carried thereby p is then rigidly secured in place.

It will now be apparent that any. adjustment of the channel board or pneumatics carried thereby with respect to the keys, or any adjustment of the pneumatic action with respect to the piano casing or key bed, may be made by either loosening the screws 22 and 24 and manipulating the screws 30-30 and 32-32 or by loosening the screws 18 and 19 in order to adjust the pneumatic action mechanism front and rear along the bed 10. In overcoming this disturbancein the relative positions of any of the parts, the screws 22 andv 24 may be again tightened or the screws 18'and 19 again tightened, as the case maybe.`

Irom the foregoingA it will be apparent.

that my improved supporting and adjusting means allows the pneumatic action mecha nism to be quickly and easily installed and thereafter removed for repairs and as quickly and easily replaced and again adjusted into operative relation with the piano action proper.

While I have described my invention in connection with the details of a particular embodiment, I do not intend thereby to limit the invention to such details as I am aware and contemplate that modifications and changes may be made without departing from the invention which is set out in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a plurality of L shaped supporting brackets adjustably mounted upon the bed of a piano, a channel board adjustably secured to the upwardly projecting arms of said supporting brackets, a plurality of pneumatics secured to said channel board and means adjustably secured in the bed of the piano for supporting said channel board and pneumatics.

2. In a player piano, a key bed, a plurality of screws adjustably secured in said key bed, a pneumatic action resting upon said screws, supporting brackets mounted upon said key bed, said supportingbrackets being adjustable along said key bed, said pneumatic action being secured to said supporting brackets and adjustable vertically relative thereto.

3. In combination, a channel board, a plurality of pneumatics secured to one side of said channel board, supporting brackets adjustably secured to the piano frame work, said channel board being adjustably secured to said supporting brackets, a plurality of blocks suspended from said pneumatics, said channel .board and said blocks resting upon a plurality of screws adjustably secured in the piano frame work and a rod extending from a bracket of the piano, said rod being secured to said channel board.

4. In combination, a piano bed, a screw secured in said bed, a channel board resting on said screw, valve blocks'secured to the rear face of the channel board, pneumatics mounted on the lower faces of said'valveblocks, a second screw secured in the bed to the rear of the first screw, a supporting block extending from the lower face of one of said valve blocks and resting upon said screw, and means for holding the channel board and pneumatics down upon both of said screws.

5. In combination, a piano bed, a screw secured in said bed, a channel board resting on said screw, valve blocks secured to the rear face of the channel board, pneumatcs mounted ont-11e lower faces of said Valve blocks, n, second screw secured in "the bed, a supporting block extending from the lower face of one of said valve blocks and Testing upon Said screw, a rail supported adjaoent v the rear face of said 'supporting block to limit the downward `n-o'vement of the pneu- 10 my name `this 30th day of October, A.4D. l5

AXEL'G. GULBRA'NS'EN. 

